The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa in Mt Darwin
THE National AIDS Council (NAC) has introduced Parent Child Communication (PCC) to enhance communication between parents and their children on HIV and AIDS issues in an endeavour to curb rampant cases of new infections among adolescents.
The program, which is still in its infancy, comes amid concerns of moral decadence among adolescence by First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa.
The First Lady decried immoral behaviour among teenagers saying it has significantly contributed towards the surge in new HIV infections among the youths.
The moral decadence, she said, was due to poor parent Child Communication which had resulted in adolescents failing to get proper orientation to adulthood.
She said this was the reason why new HIV infections were increasing among youths.
A NAC official Mr Shepherd Zanamwe said the program aimed at enhancing dialogue on issues to with reproductive health between parents and children as an intervention strategy to reduce HIV incidences among youths.
NAC recently announced that there has been a surge in HIV new infections among the youth particularly those in tertiary institutions.
“As we are all aware, charity begins at home. So PCC is aiming at ensuring that we fight HIV at household level. We realized that, if parents discuss these issues at home with their children, it becomes easier for adolescents to open up and have adequate knowledge on HIV and AIDS issues. It enables enhanced dialogue between parents and their children and also cements their relationship.
“If we discuss these things at home with our children they tend to understand better,” he said.
Mr Zanamwe said the program also reduces sexual offenses perpetrated by parents or relatives against minors.
“This program is also targeting mining communities. We realized that sexual offenses are rampant in these communities. This is usually due to drug and substance abuse. Most artisanal minors have a violent behaviour. So this program is helping them and their families so that there is communication,” he said.
NAC has launched pilot projects through implementing partners and other funders in selected districts across the country.
